P.S. 97 The Highlawn

Math is the clear strength. The 77.3% proficiency rate is more than 14 points above the district average of 63.2%, and the trajectory tells the real story: math proficiency climbed from 58.9% in 2016 to 77.3% in 2025, with the biggest jumps coming in the last few years. ELA is a tighter picture — proficiency has bounced between 47% and 60% historically, and the current 62.7% is the highest on record and slightly above the district average of 60%. Grade 5 is where scores peak (74% ELA, 84.3% math), suggesting the school does a good job building skills as students move up. The overall 2.8 out of 4 score is comfortably above the district average of 2.46.

The survey numbers here are striking. Every teacher-rated dimension — instruction quality, safety, trust in leadership, collegial trust — sits at 96% or higher, and teacher-reported safety is at 100%. Parent satisfaction is 95%, parent trust in teachers and the principal is 98%, and the family survey response rate of 93% with 817 responses suggests families are deeply engaged. There have been no suspensions in any of the last three reported years. The one thing worth flagging is the chronic absenteeism figure of 81.1%, which is high even relative to citywide norms; it may reflect extended family travel patterns common in the community, but it's a question worth asking the school directly. Average daily attendance of 94.2% is solid and above the district average.

The student body is 53% Asian, 23% white, 22% Hispanic, and 1% Black, which closely tracks the neighborhood's demographic mix. The diversity index of 62% reflects meaningful variety rather than a monolith, but the school does lean heavily toward two communities — Asian and white — that together make up more than three-quarters of enrollment. The economic need index of 68.1 indicates a moderate-to-high share of students from low-income households, and 16% of students have IEPs.

Gravesend (West) is a working- and middle-class residential area in southern Brooklyn where just over a quarter of households have children and homeownership sits at about 38%. Median household income is around $72,000, with a 22% poverty rate and roughly 31% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. The housing stock is substantial — median home values approach $1 million — reflecting the largely owner-occupied and family-oriented feel of the blocks around the school.

Families have three subway stations within walking distance: the 25 Av stop on the D line about six minutes away, Kings Hwy on the N line about seven minutes, and Avenue U on the N line about nine minutes. Most local families likely walk or drive.